Traditionally, adverse terrain vehicles have been track-type vehicles. For example, track-type bulldozers, loaders, cranes and similar devices have been known for decades. In some instances track-type mechanisms of this type have utilized undercarriages to support and propel a mechanism. Such an undercarriage may comprise a frame for attachment to the mechanism, structure mounted on the frame for guiding a track around a predetermined course, and a drive motor for actuating the track around the course and thereby propelling the mechanism supported by the undercarriage.
More recently, adverse terrain vehicles utilizing wheel members have been developed. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,362 granted to applicants herein on Mar. 26, 1974. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,210,218, issued July 1, 1980 and 4,210,219 issued July 1, 1980, both granted to applicants herein, there is described an undercarriage whereby many types of mechanisms may be supported and propelled. However, there has not heretofore been provided a wheeled undercarriage wherein wheel members are moveable with respect to the undercarriage to compensate for varied terrain conditions.